Off the coast of Republic City (Same time as Khai gets ready for the club)
In the sight of a high and proud moon, Admiral Geming rests off the side of his fishing sampan. The balls of his feet had just barely been touching the cool nighttime water of one of Republic City's main ports. The large, rigid wooden floor of the shipping vessel had made it almost unbearable to walk on, and even with his black military style boots on, the sun's warmth felt like it was coming from below.
Eventually, when the sun fell, Geming felt nothing but the cool nighttime air. A squawking from some of the local harbor seagulls arose over the distant sky, but because of the time, he saw nothing.
He wore The Pride's usual brown robes but underneath he was dressed ready to face an army; Metal plating overlapped one another around his torso for maximum protection, studded chain mail had been nearly imbedded on his metal plate legs, you could barely see the difference, and an improved stun gauntlet.
All underneath a mysterious brown robe that cloaked the man's appearance. He was a walking fortress, built to destroy any Equalist that stood in his way. The same would go for those benders who hated them. If there was one thing Geming despised the most, it was a ignorant bender who sought to find 'peace' and 'tranquility' among the non benders.
Even the notion that there could be some treaty with the non benders was a sigh of imprecation in Geming's teachings. He found the theory to be hard to digest, long after he had dismissed the thought of it. Before he had his first encounter with Jun, Adm. Geming was a fire nation supremacist, urging the people of Republic City to brandish their power of fire.
However, as he dismissed the thought of 'peace', others dismissed the thought of 'war'. He grew weak and frail as his messages were thrown away like regular pieces of garbage, and he was left alone to rot his days out in the gutter and to be mocked by every passerby. He couldn't believe that when he met Jun he could be persuaded so persistently.
His path changed. He submerged his feet into the water, and with the metal the surrounded the inner lacing of his boots, they sunk instantly. Admiral Geming was accompanied by another. He had noticed this figured, shrouded in a brown aurora, out of the corner of his eye. He had immediately suspected that he was one of his.
"Monna is dead" Chen said passively. No emotion had past through his lips, nothing but the sticky, black essence of tobacco had curled above his noes.
Geming hadn't said a word. He had received word of her falling an hour after her death by Mao. Though he wasn't disappointed in her poor choice of actions. There was a time he could remember where she had doubt in her veins and the obscene thought of treason in her mind, though she had never actually displayed such an atrocity.
"Chen, let me ask you something" Geming said, replying with more question in his voice then anger.
Chen raised a brow. Usually a topic such as this would have infuriated such a man. The fact he showed know other emotion but to reply with a question had vaguely intrigued him. He let out a deep sigh of black smoke and removed his hood, sitting himself down on a nearby tuna crate. He passed his fingers through his wearied black hair, which hadn't seen the sight of a pillow in quite some time.
He took a few drags on his cigarette and blew a warm stream of smoke out his nostrils.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Do you still believe in our cause?" He asked.
Although his position didn't change, Chen sensed some level of irritation in Geming. His cigarette rest in between his index and middle finger, the only sound that had been made was the ash that fell from the burnt end.
"Of course"
"Don't lie"
Chen sought such a phrase from a man of high stature to be pitiful. It was almost embarrassing to hear the words escape from his thoughts, let alone his mouth. He sighed again as more ash fell from his burning cigarette.
"I have the utmost confidence in our part here in this war, sir" Chen relied taking another long drag.
"Fool. You are in no position to pity me" Geming said, rising off the edge of the sampan. The metal in his boots shook the boat, each time he took a step.
"I didn't say such a thing. I was only encouraging the name of The Pride" Chen replied.
The admiral sat down right next to him, on a pile of tune crates that had been tide down in the center of the sampan, since departure. Chen, out of 'celebration' of their cause, offered him a cigarette, which he had pulled out of his pocket. The long white sticks were old, dusty in fact, but they still burned brightly. However, Geming had taken it only to engulf the cig in a burn blue flame in the palm of his hand, leaving no remnants.
"I think you over did it a little bit" Chen said, stamping his finished one on the floor of the boat.
"You can think whatever of me Chen, but I expect cooperation and loyalty on what we do, on what we accomplish"
Chen pulled his hood back his head, until not but the tip of his noes had been barely seen. Chen spoke cautiously, "Sir, I am loyal"
"You speak very guardedly Chen. Monna sounded the same way to me before she died. I only ask you to increase your devotion because loosing another member is humiliating. What are we without fear? A laughing stock. Just be aware that I DO have a plan" Gemming said.
Chen laid back on some bundled up fishing net, and rested his head on the palms of his hands. He closed his eyes and said, "Like I said, nothing but confidence"
A loud and terrifying screech shot through the air like blasting jelly. Chen had shot up immediately do to it's horrific sound, and pulled along with him, two boulders from underneath the water. The ripples and waves had made the boat rock, nearly displacing the pridesman.
"Put them down Chen, it's not a spy"
Chen swallowed hard and as embarrassed as he was, he tried not to blush. A large black and red, hawk-like bird, had came down and landed itself around Gemming's metal arms. It's feathers were primarily black but had a shimmer of red to them, which almost mimicked the image of a blood splatter.
"Is that? A bat hawk?"
Gemming nodded. This endangered species was none for their murderous capabilities during the great war. Their blind, so echolocation is their only way of sensing direction. That and their sense of smell. It's talons were long enough to kill a man in a single strike if rightly place. It's been nicknamed the 'banshee bird' due to its fierce screech.
"Is this apart of your plan?" Chen said, lowering the large structures of stone back into the depts of the sea.
"Yes" Gemming replied, adding a quick sound of pleasure in his voice.
It's beak was of a darkened orange, almost a mud-brown looking color, but great for killing its prey. Along its leg was a small tube, containing a message of conformation. Gemming looked at it with delight, as the next phase was nearly done.
"What's going on?"
"Listen up Chen, I'd hate to repeat this. Along the ports of Republic City lies a war, a quiet war, consisting of two groups. Those who work, unload, and distribute boxes of who knows what, and merely live off minimum wage to support their family. A lower class of people called "Scraps" due to their long intention of working and feeding on whatever they can. Their superiors consists of higher class nobleman known as "Port Advisers". These people are all under command of the "Port Master" an Individual who oversees the whole operation"
"I don't understand what this had to do with us? What operation?" Chen replied. The bat hawk had taken off into the night, determined to return to its sender.
"The ports of Republic City have two major function: The safe docking of shipping vessels, and the unloading and distributing of many supplies brought into the nation for economic purposes. Over the past decade the Port Adviser, Ju Fen, had made it very hard for the Scraps to make a decent living. She lowered wages, increased working hours, made life brutal for them and on top of all that, she closed down several apartment complexes that was declared to be "On her property" so that she could save money. Hundreds were put on the streets"
"That's horrible, are they benders?" Chen asked.
"It's a mixed bunch. A fight, I'd rather not be apart of"
"Then why be apart of it? You are aiding them aren't you? Isn't what that message was about?" Chen asked intently.
Gemming took in a big breath before releasing a gust of exhaustion. I should have taken that cigarette, He thought. He continued.
"Listen carefully. After the decade, Ju was executed due to treasonous reasons, I'm not even going to attempt to explain to you, She was succeeded by, Kun Liang, a powerful earth bender. However, many Scraps were happy with this transaction, but Kun hadn't been any better then Ju. In fact, he gave more power and authority to the Port Advisers; which many scraps claim to be bullies. So here's where I come in"
Thank the spirits.. Chen thought. He would had let his leader continue, when I thought occurred to him.
"But why hasn't the counsel heard about this?"
"This was the start of the Equalist era. They considered the port issue to be a.. meager issue compared to the situation that was unfolding" Gemming replied. Gemming nodded to the cigarette case that was sticking out of Chen's pocket. Chen grinned and slid him a stick. As Gemming lit his with his thumb, he laughed as Chen tried to start a flame with an inadequate lighter.
"Here, a blue flame makes it taste better" Gemming said, as he lit Chen's.
They both took long drags on their cigarettes, that illuminated a blue flame instead of red. It was true, the blue flame had made their nerves more relaxed, and their chi pools more focused, but still caused them the same amount of harm as a red flame would.
"The taste is better" Chen agreed. "So, how do you come into play again?"
The Blasting Jelly Plot
"Hey hurry up and unload that shit man!" One man said.
"Oh fuck off, you're not even doing any work!" The Second man replied.
"I'm keeping watch, without me you'd better as well slit your own throat!"
They all dressed the same. Grey vests, with black undershirts, and a matching grey cargo pants. They wore shoes that hadn't protected their feet at all, Kun had made them all turn in their duty boots for purposes that he said would "save money for future raises". It was all a bunch of lies, and the four of them new it. What they were given didn't even look like shoes at all. Mere rages around the feet and covered in duct tape.
"Hurry up!" The second man said, trying to keep a low profile.
The first man had disappeared within the front flaps of the cargo vehicle. later on, he would reappear but rolling a brown barrel, to heavy for even one man to carry. He would then lower it into the hands of a third and fourth man, who would carry the barrels and neatly set them side by side.
"You guys need to shut it. What does that make now, 9? 10 barrels?" The third man asked.
The onlooking second man observed the scenery of the wretched ports of Republic City. Men in grey would continue to work their ass off for little to nothing wadges. He was disgusted. Some of the port advisers had been squabbling with the other scraps, but they wouldn't have the confidence to stand up for themselves, as they faces possible eviction or being fired.
The second man spat a wad of tobacco onto the pavement, as his head moved side to side, looking for any possible threat.
"Hey, so what did we agree on the contents of the barrels?" The fourth man asked.
"Shit man, do we have to constantly do this with you? Should've fuckin' glued the plan onto your forehead" The second man replied.
The rest of them ignored him and the first man, who had been stationed in the cargo vehicle, signaled him over. The fourth man hopped up into the transportation unit and walked up to the first man. The first man had taken off the lid of an unsealed barrel to reveal a white, snow like powder on the top.
"Okay so the first four inches of this barrel contains sugar, just to get past inspection. The rest is blasting jelly, which hides underneath this divider which blocks any sight of the jelly"
The fourth man nodded in approval at the scheme, thinking that nobody will think of search the full contents of the crate.
"Hey, adviser! Get the hell out here, you two!" The second man called.
The four of them lined up as a man dressed fully in a metal bending uniform had approached them. None of them were nervous, they had gone throughout the whole day without being picked up as suspicious.
"What the hell are you four doing? Nobody needs to be unloading cargo this close to the Port Hall" The adviser instructed. His face began to swell into a red balloon.
"Sir, with all do respect, we'd rather be up here to avoid any injuries that man happen that could cause further delay with our job" The second man said.
The building right next to them had been the Port Hall, sort of the capital of Republic City's ports. Anything that had to due with shipping manifests, transport requests, cargo manifests, and who left and entered had to come through this building. It also held the Port Master, who feasted like a fat king while the rest of his servants had to slave to unbearable working conditions.
"I don't care, you know the rules, why the fuck would I give you the special treatment?" The advisers said angrily.
"Look, sir we.."
"Hey!" The adviser yelled, interrupting the first man. "I don't need your shit! You follow basic introductions that's put up, nothing to it!"
"Alright sir, we apologize" The first man said.
The adviser walked around the four men to see 10 barrels lined up neatly next to one another. The basement door to the Port Hall had been opened and a lot more could be seen on the inside.
"What's all this?"
"Sugar sir. We were instructed to take it into the Port Hall" The third man said.
"Instructed by whom?"
He choked on his own words. The third man had forgotten that they weren't instructed by anybody, the words just slipped out. Nobody had said anything else but he knew what they were thinking. He could feel their anger and that he of all people who let them down.
Fuck, why did I get caught up in all this? Should I just confess?
The silence of the third man was cut off by snapping of a metal wire. One of the cranes, that had been hoisting cargo off a ship had its wires snap. A loud pinging sound and the crane had begun to topple over sideways onto the large ship. Hundreds of loud screams and cries could be heard and the metal contraption had began to plummet onto the deck, releasing the heavy and distilled contents of which it had been carrying.
"Fuck! The Port Master's going to have my head after this! You four stay here!" He shouted, as he ran in the chaos.
The four watched in silence as their adviser was completely out of range. The second man looked to the third and outrageous yelled,
"Idiot! You could have ruined everything! Now hurry and get the rest of the cargo into the basement!"
They all continued to unload cautiously. The second man remained at watch as the rest were hard at work. The scare that the third man had put them through had sent them all in complete and utter paranoia. The second man was more cautious then ever, mentioning everybody who looked like they were getting to close to the. Truth was, the adviser was right, the four of them hadn't needed to be over there at all. The only time a scrap was seen at the Port Hall was for collecting payments or disciplinary action. They had been out of place, unloading wooden barrels into the Port Hall. However, this had been their only incident.
"There finished, what's next?" The fourth man said.
They had indeed been done. The dark, stained wooden barrels had been place neatly in the basement of the Port Hall, ready for the next step. The first and second man hopped into the driver and passenger seat and instructed the other two men to wait for another. As they drove off, the remaining third and fourth men had looked more suspicious as ever. Since their 'work' had hidden their true purpose, they now stood clearly in view of the others who worked on the dock and all it took was somebody to report them.
The third man took out a notepad that had been in his pocket and pretended to slowly check over and over the cargo which they had just distributed into the hall. They fourth man had changed to look out, and now watched as the squabbling on the deck, continued to get more attention then they were.
"You know, this actually might work" He uttered in a excited tone of voice. He couldn't help but grin at the chaos on deck, knowing that this would be the last of the suffering the scraps would have to endure.
They continued to wait, pretending to work, until met by another scrap. This man was not the first or second man, their mission had been complete. Now it was the fifth man turn.
"How's it going fella's? What's our move?" He asked.
The man had black hair, almost tangled and so greasy that the sun had reflected of it. He dressed as all scraps should and had a pungent smell of tobacco mixed with his daily body odor. He had been the only one who had real shoes, while the others had been torn and roughed up.
"You a gambling man Gao?" The third man asked in a hushed voice.
Gao stopped himself in his tracks, surprised at phrase he considered saying no, thinking that if he were to respond positively, he would be subjugated to more work. However, it was him who had sabotaged the crane for the distraction, so there was probably little work that needed to be done now.
"Yeah, I'm a betting man. You game?" Gao replied.
"No, not games Gao, we're talking about real life here. We need you to watch over the blasting jelly and when the time is right, throw a match onto a barrel and run like hell. The wood is dry enough for the fire to catch and spread" The third man said.
Gao pondered over their plan for a little while longer but then nodded in agreement.
"So, the barrels explode, Port Hall crumbles, and the death Kun sparks the rebellion. Or some sort of violent labor strike." Gao said, sounding confident in the plan.
"Correct" Replied the third man.
"We just need you to sit tight while, we go and make sure the Port Master is in the hall. Otherwise, this will be all for nothing. One of us will come get you when were done" The fourth man said.
"And what about night patrols?" Gao asked.
"Night patrols won't even acknowledge the basement of the hall. Their job is to guard the contents of the ship and the docks. The cargo that surrounds the ports is worth more then the Port Hall itself in solid gold!"
The three of them agreed and Gao was alone in the basement. It had more of a wine cellar decor to it than anything else. The long hallways had barrels piled up to the ceiling on each side. Continuing down the dark and dusty sub level of the building, it had hooked around into a giant U shape tunnel, leading right back to the entrance. Gao had to admit that this was risky, but the safety of him and his friends came first, and the way that they're being treated is unacceptable.
He hadn't been aware of all details; like where did the blasting jelly come from, who created the plan, and how long did he have to stay down here. All of this information hadn't been given to him. When he signed up for this, he didn't ask questions. He wanted fair treatment and when Ju was executed, he'd hoped for more out of Kun, but that never came. Peace was over, and now a time of force had arrived. He didn't care about the Equalist revolution, in fact he wasn't even a bender.
The sides didn't matter to him. He waited down into that basement for hours, waiting unknowingly for the right time to destroy the building. That time had come by the presence of the door starting to rattle. Eager as he was, he rushed the door to let the men inside.
Gemming's Sampan
"So what? Your going to blow up the Port Hall?" Chen suggested, throwing his finished cigarette into the ocean. He hadn't had a better one, then a blue lit cig.
"And waste all that valuable explosives? It's just another message that can be used by The Pride to ensure our dominance. No, I plan on taking all that jelly for myself, I just needed it to be in one convenient location" Gemming said.
Chen was at a loss. He through himself back onto the fishing net, still thinking of the plan. He lashed out one last puff of smoke into the nighttime sky before coming to a form of a conclusion.
"Wait, but how do you intend to take the..." Chen's eyes lit up, and he hoisted himself to his feet and spun around to Gemming, who had been starring into the lit up Republic City, with a menacing grin on his face, "You ratted them out?" Chen finally said.
"You see Chen, when Gao answers that door, the final call, he won't be greeted by his conspirators. He'll be met with the advisers and some of the Port Master's privateers. He'll be found out, he will be tortured, beaten, and eventually executed. The barrels would need to be dealt with immediately, as Republic City has a strict anti Blasting Jelly law, as it it found to be "inhumane". Even the Port Master would remove such a felony from his midst, he'll load the explosives up into two transportation vehicle, and sent out to be dumped into the ocean, before anyone can be notified of the incident" Gemming finished.
"You plan on stealing the explosives, once they're on the road.. the port guards have already done all the work for you by shipping them off!" Chen exclaimed. His mind was in a frenzy, such an amount of explosives could render an entire block in utter and complete devastation. His mouth watered at the idea.
"What about the rest of the conspirators?" Asked Chen. Gemming shifted uncomfortably at the idea but had no major concern for them.
"It doesn't matter. Whether Gao decides to call them out to his executioners is his choice, but after tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if they took off. It's all a matter of high jacking the transports. And this message had confirmed that they begun to mobilize"
"Who sent that message?" Chen asked.
"My sixth man" Gemming said, with a widened smirk on his face.
Chen look surprised. Gemming had clearly focused a lot on the details to this operation. If he were to guess, it was Gemming's sixth man who had gathered the five conspirators on behalf of the Admirals orders. He swallowed hard to think what he might have in store.
"Sadly he cannot do it alone, that's why I want you to meet up with him" Gemming said.
Chen agreed to the plan, he liked what he had heard. His confidence had been restored in his leader, and now, with this sixth man, he would help show this city what the clan was really all about.
Gemming closed one eye and held his palm out, carefully distancing himself so that his hand gave the illusion that he was holding Republic City in the palm of his hand. Soon after, that city would be engulfed in a blue flame. Gemming imagined the screams of terror by the residents as they fell on their knees, beggin him for mercy.
"A city who is fond of playing with fire, will surely perish in flames"